A Fragile State of Mind
by Patch Cipriano's Angel
Summary: Someone laughed harshly, and said in cool, clipped tones, "Doesn't seem like she likes you, Doc." Elijah chuckled, looking at someone over her head, "Does anyone?" Elena whirled around and saw Stefan sitting behind her. Then she looked back to Elijah, confused. Doc? As in doctor? She thought. Elena looked around, shocked. She was in a mental ward. Elena/Elijah Horror/Suspense/Drama


**A/N: Okay, you'll notice elements in this story which are also in Snow White Queen. The reason for that is, I drew inspiration from SQW for this story. I came up with it while writing SWQ. And didn't get around to writing it until now. I hope you like it. Please review.**

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Elena Gilbert sighed heavily as she entered the Boardinghouse, closing the door behind her; she wandered upstairs, exhaustion weighing heavily on her as she trudged into Stefan's room, collapsing onto his bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Elena groaned, opening her eyes slowly on to squeeze them shut again as a painful white light glared into her eyes. Beating down on her painfully. A raging headache thundered in the back of her head, causing her to wince.

She was painfully aware that she was lying on a cold, hard surface. "Hey. Hey. I think she's comin' 'round..." Someone whispered, excitedly. "Back up. Give her room to breathe." A familiar voice said. Elena's eyes snapped open in surprise.

Elijah hovered over her. Elena's eyes widened as she began to crawl away from him. Someone laughed harshly, and said in cool, clipped tones, "Doesn't seem like she likes you, Doc." Elijah chuckled, looking at someone over her head, "Does anyone?"

Elena whirled around and saw Stefan sitting behind her. Then she looked back to Elijah, confused. _Doc? As in doctor?_ She thought. Elijah was dressed in a pale blue button down, a black tie, Italian leather shoes, black slacks and black socks. And on top of that he wore a white lab coat.

Elena looked around, shocked. She was in a mental ward. Elijah knelt down in front of her, his face a mask of sympathy, "Elena? Are you alright? Do you remember what happened?" Elena swallowed hard, watching him warily.

A person behind her snickered, "Cat got your tongue, Ellie?" Elena turned, this time prepared. Damon leered at her. Elena jumped to her feet, shrieking, "What have you done to me?" Elijah stood, looking at her, surprised. Damon sneered, "Uh-oh. No rec time for the schizo."

Elena looked at him, shocked. "Damon," She whispered. He only smirked. Elena looked around the room in a search for a warm, familiar face. But found none. All of the other patients only gazed back at her stonily. "Stefan?" She asked of the other Salvatore.

Stefan tilted his head, his lip curled. Elena felt her heart sink towards her stomach. Turning away she started striding towards the exit before two hulking men in white shirts and pants blocked her path. Elena sighed heavily, shaking her head, tears stinging at her eyes.

_This can't be happening. It must be a nightmare._ She thought helplessly. Turning, Elena saw Elijah behind her; he pulled a syringe out of his coat pocket and a vial. "Just a little something to calm you down," Elijah said as he slid the needle into the vial, drawing some of the clear liquid.

Elena trembled as Elijah walked towards her; the two men grabbed her arms, holding her steady. Tears streamed down Elena's face as she felt a sting in her arm before she fell into the darkness. She awoke groggily, blinking blearily; she sat up, gazing about the room, her brows furrowed.

Elena's vision was blurred. She stood on unsteady legs, trembling uncontrollably. Staggering to the door, she grasped the knob, acknowledging how real and _cold_ it felt in her hand. Turning the knob, she all but fell out of the room. She felt eyes on her, from all sides.

Turning, she saw the other patients and orderlies watching her raptly. "Elena?" A voice called from down the hall, "Elena, honey, it's time for your meds." Swallowing thickly, Elena ducked her head and walked towards the voice as quickly as possible.

She kept her eyes trained on the floor, counting the tiles until she reached the nurses' station. The woman offered her a medicine cup, filled with brightly colored pills, and a glass of water. "There you go," The woman, an elderly woman with an air of maternal nature, said warmly.

Elena gazed down at the cup before bringing it to her lips, tears prickling at her eyes as she tipped her head back, allowing the pills to fall into her mouth. She raised the glass of water to her lips, tilting it back. The water was nice and cool as it trickled down her throat.

The tears trickled down her cheeks as she handed the medicine cup and glass back to the elderly nurse. The woman said, "Open up." Elena opened her mouth and the woman checked to ensure that the young brunette swallowed the pills. Satisfied, the woman nodded.

Elena clamped her jaws together and shuffled toward the rec room, seeing a handful of patients seated on stools in front of easels, painting intently. One man stood in the corner of the room, hugging himself and muttering softly.

Elena frowned and strode across the room and took a seat in front of a blank canvass and picked up a paintbrush. She was just finishing the final touches when she heard someone stepping behind her. "You're in my seat," A voice filled with animosity almost _growled_.

Chills raced down Elena's spine as she swiveled, seeing Damon standing behind her. His handsome face pinched in anger. Fear struck her heart as she scrambled out of the seat. "I – I – I'm sorry." She stammered.

Damon reached towards the canvass and ripped her painting of red roses off the easel and scowled, "What the hell is this?" Elena felt a pang as she whispered, "I didn't mean to –" She was cut off as Damon pitched the painting across the room with a snarl, "Well, you _did._"

"I'm sorry." She said, lowering her amber optics. "You should be." The elder Salvatore hissed as Elijah walked towards the room, flanked by two orderlies. "Why are you acting like this?" Elena asked, pain seeping into her words.

A smirk warped his beautiful features, twisting them into something dark, cruel, insane and unrecognizable. "I'm sorry," He began almost kindly, "But, unlike in your screwed up _fantasy, _I'm _not_ in love with you." He finished harshly, biting off the words with unthinkable cruelty.

"So, I suggest you get your head straight and stay the hell out of my way." Damon growled, stepping close to Elena before shoving past her. She turned watching as Elijah stopped in front of Damon, speaking to him sternly.

Damon nodded as Elijah spoke before smirking at the doctor, slipping past him and walking down the hallway. Pain bubbled up in Elena's chest as she walked out of the rec room, homesick, tired and hurting. "Elena," She heard Elijah say as she marched past him. "_Elena_." Elijah called after her.

She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Except – "Stefan!" Elena breathed happily. The younger Salvatore stopped mid-stride and turned, gazing at her with open amusement. She scurried down the hallway, racing towards him and throwing her arms around him.

"Oh, Stefan," She cried into his shoulder, "This whole day has been so awful." She felt him slowly slip his arms around her waist. "I know," she heard him say compassionately, "I know…" "I don't like this place," She wailed into his shoulder, "I don't want to be here. I just want to go home."

"Shh…" Stefan shushed her gently, "Everything will be just fine." She might've believed him, if she hadn't heard the mirth tainting his words. Elena pulled away from him, her features etched with incredulity and hurt. Stefan gazed back at her, his kind emerald hues filled with malicious amusement.

"Stefan…" Elena said achingly. "So, I take it that I'm the one who's blindly in love with you, right?" The Salvatore said brutally, taking a step towards her. Elena quivered, betrayal soaking into her bones. "Don't." Heartache bled into the word as it left her lips.

"I'm sorry," Stefan said, his features betraying the perverse pleasure he was receiving from the pain he was causing her. "But what kind of _idiot_ still loves a girl after doing what you _supposedly_ did to me in your _fantasy_?" He swung his hand towards her face, stopping short of striking her cheek, but Elena still flinched.

"I know!" Stefan said triumphantly, answering his own question, "The kind only found in your _twisted_ mind." He sneered as a pair of orderlies stepped behind him, grabbing him by the forearms and dragging him away.

Elena sniffled, turning on her heel and hurrying down the hallway, back towards her room. She ignored everyone who stared, jeered or called after her. She wanted to be alone. Especially after the day she's had. She burst into the room and threw herself onto the bed, sobbing into the pillow.

Soon, the exhaustion weighed down on her, forcing her into a fitful sleep. She'd just fell into unconsciousness as fingers wove through her hair. Elena writhed, uttering a bleary sound as she sat up. The room was pitch black and her eyelids felt heavy, but, she still sat alert.

A gleaming pair of discs, which could only be eyes, were focused on her. Elena felt rooted to the spot she sat as cold fear trickled through her veins. But she found her voice. "Who – who are you?" She asked. The eyes blinked as a pale, long fingered hand reached for her.

She scrambled backwards, hearing a loud scream echo off the walls. After a moment, she realized it was coming from her. The hand clamped down over her mouth and a pair of emerald eyes came into focus. _Stefan._ His brows furrowed as he climbed onto the bed.

"Shh! It's _me_." He hissed. Elena stared up at him, still shaken; but still, she nodded. Stefan offered her a sheepish smile before inching closer. "I didn't mean to scare you," sincerity seeped into his words. Hurt spread through Elena as she gazed at him. "Well, you did." She said tightly.

A frown creased his forehead, "Are you angry about what I said today?" Elena shook her head, saying in hurt tones, "Gee, I don't know. Wait. I _do_ know! _Yes._ I am." Tears brimmed in her ochre orbs.

"Hey, hey," Stefan whispered, reaching towards her, brushing her tears away, cradling her face, "I told you, I hated this plan." He rested his forehead against hers gently. Elena glanced up at him, peering up at him through her tear-drenched lashes.

"Stefan…" "Yes?" He whispered, concern creeping into his voice. Elena shook her head, leaning against him. "Nevermind." She just sat there, in Stefan's arms, until finally, she fell asleep. And stayed asleep. And not once, did she have a nightmare.

In the morning, she stirred, looking for Stefan, but realizing, he must've slipped out before anyone noticed he was gone. Elena stood and staggered to the door, making her way to the cafeteria. After collecting her tray, she made her way to a table.

As she passed him, Damon leaned towards her, sneering, "So, Gilbert, enjoying slumming it with the crazies?" Elena scowled at him, snapping, "I don't know. Doesn't your ass hurt from sitting on your high horse all day?" Someone snickered.

And a young man pointed at Damon and said in sing-song tones, "He hurts in his ass!" Damon glowered and roared, "Shut it, Donovan!" Elena's eyes widened and she turned to look at the young man. _Matt, _her heart cried.

He sat alone in a corner, snickering to himself as he played with a plastic spoon. Her heart broke watching him before Stefan dropped in the seat next to his. The youngest Salvatore draped his arm around the young man and whispered something to him.

They both snickered before Stefan turned to the table and opened a cup of Jell-O and took Matt's hand and guided him in feeding himself. Warm tears streamed down Elena's cheeks before she turned walked to a nearby table.

She sat down next to a young woman who was staring straight ahead. Elena began opening the cups of fruit and Jell-O. As she reached for her spoon, a hand came down on her wrist.

A singsong voice chimed, "_Elena Gilbert, all alone. Should've known better than to hide at home. You swore that you would help him and he knows that you lied. First he's gonna play with you. Then you're gonna die._"

Chills raced down Elena's spine as she looked up at the girl who sat next to her, then screamed.


End file.
